"I really appreciate that he came to apologise" - Kavanagh accepts peace offering made by man who tripped her during Hollywoodbets Durban 10km

Tayla Kavanagh says she accepts the apology offered by the man who tripped her during Sunday’s Hollywoodbets Durban 10km and bears no grudge against him. Running in the signature purple colours of the host club, South Africa’s inform 10km female athlete of 2026, dominated the women’s race from the get-go as she targeted her fifth sub 31:40 clocking of the season. But disaster struck when a male runner ventured too close to the Hollywood Athletic Club star and tripped her in full view of the SABC television cameras.

“The most important thing is that I got back up again as soon as I could,” she told the media during the post-race press conference in the Presidential Suite at the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium where she also revealed that Sandile Ntombela of the Umgeni Howick Academy AC sought her out after the race to apologise to her.

Sandile Ntombela and the rest of the Umgeni Howick Academy AC team found Kavanagh after the race to apologise. Photo Credit: MWMedia.

“The guy came to apologise which I really appreciate. I was really furious at the time because it’s not something you expect to happen often in road running. If you are going to fall you expect it to be at the start of the race and not during the race where there’s quite a lot of space to run. But it’s quite good to learn those lessons so I know exactly what to do if it happens again. I just really appreciate that he came to apologise.”

The reigning SA 5000m and 10 000m champion who is now the second fastest South African 5000m athlete of all time (14:58.49) went on to clock 31:39 for her fourth 10km victory of the season. Asked if the fall had cost her a stab at Glenrose Xaba’s SA 10km record of 31:12, Kavanagh dismissed those suggestions saying it was probably too windy for her to become the country's fastest 10km athlete in history.

Despite falling, Kavanagh got back up to claim her fourth 10km victory of 2026. Photo Credit: Michael Fragoeiro Photography.

“My first five kilometres were unexpectedly fast. I think the fall kinda threw me a little bit but I tried not to lose my momentum and got back up immediately. The wind was a factor during the second half, so I think the second half would have been slower than the first half anyway because of that. On a good day without the wind that could have been the target. The SA Record that Glenrose holds is definitely something I want to get. I respect it. Patience is key. I know it will come when the time is right.”